Egypt’s strategic wheat stockpile unaffected by instability in global food market: Supply Ministry

CAIRO – 19 May 2022: Egypt’s Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade has denied rumors claiming that the country’s strategic stockpile of wheat has been affected by instability in global food market.

Egypt’s wheat stockpile will cover the citizens’ needs for months to come, the Cabinet’s media center said in a statement, citing the ministry as saying.

The local wheat supply season, which has started in April, will contribute to boosting the wheat stockpile until December, the ministry said.

The state seeks to take a number of precautionary measures to protect the country’s wheat stockpile and diversify the wheat import sources the ministry said.

This is in addition to implementing the national plan to establish more silos to increase the wheat storage capacities of the country and reduce losses as a result of poor storage or during transportation, the ministry added.

So far, a strategic stock of wheat has been secured for consumption for a period of 4 months, the ministry noted.

Also, the country has secured a strategic stock of sugar that is enough to cover a period of more than 5 months. Strategic stock of various types of oils is sufficient for a period of more than 5 months and new quantities have been contracted, the ministry said.

Rice reserve is also sufficient for more than 8 months, according to the ministry.

More than 2.14 million tons of wheat has been collected from farmers so far in Egypt, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said on Wednesday.

During a meeting for the Cabinet in the New Administrative Capital, Madbouli said the wheat supply system is operating with high efficiency.

He noted that the authorities closely follow up on this file and the measures taken to pay the dues of the farmers who supply the required wheat.

Spokesman For the Ministry of Agriculture Mohamed el Kersh said earlier this month that Egypt's new silos now receives 5.6 million tons of wheat in a way compatible with wheat storage standards to achieve self-sufficiency of the grain.

In TV statements, he said the Toshka area is one of emerging farmlands in Egypt after the state managed to provide new investments it needs especially in the fields of water and electricity.

He added that 220,000 feddans were cultivated with wheat this year, despite some challenges topped by water scarcity.